Monday, March 22, 2010

Seems like my wheels are spinning in the sand. I really thought that I'd be farther in my life at this age.

Since I was last blogging regularly, nothing has really changed. I am in the same chair in the same apartment. I'm still in Toronto. Still doing my PhD. Still playing volleyball. Still single.

I'm definitely feeling old now since I keep meeting people in their late teens and early 20's through school related events. This has been the pattern for the past 7 years. I get older, but the girls stay the same age. I feel that I am the creepy old guy now.

Seems like life is passing me by. I guess I just thought that things would be a lot different when I was about to turn 29. Different city? Different relationship status? Different number of dependents? Different job?

Sure, career-wise, things are technically pretty different now since I'm running my own company (happy 1 year anniversary to my company 2 days ago!), but it doesn't seem that big of a change since it's actually quite similar to grad school in that I sit in front of my computer and do whatever I want. The difference now is that a lot more people go to my website, I make money when I dick around on the Internet, I meet with different people for advice, I receive different types of awards, and I do media interviews.

Is this a third-life crisis? You probably won't see me in a sports car, but I might skip out of the country.

P.S. If you don't know what's been going on, i.e. you're not on Facebook, here are some things you can read:

7 Comments:

"I get older, but the girls stay the same age." Why is this a bad thing? Don't guys love being seen with younger women? I'm sure that nobody could tell the difference anyways. You could pass for 18. :)

If you momentarily skip out of the country, let me know. I may come with. :)

JF: dont know how i stubble on this blog, but found it interesting that i had this exact same thought recently myself..more in the sense of spinning in sand ..still the same thing..less so in the girls same age..considering i am the girl!..:p

I found your blog somehow from being a U of T alumni nerd and reading the news emails. Anyways, I'm a bit shocked. Where did you think your life would be at 29? What did you envision for yourself? I think it's amazing that you've done all these things with your life. At the same time, I've never seen anyone write about their seemingly stagnant life and then post links to display their achievements in one blog post.

I think the question to be asked is: what does all of THIS (success, education, etc.) mean at the end of the day?

i found your blog while searching for ways to wake up earlier (and not hating it but also not hating that i wasted life-minutes sleeping in since i'm too adult-made now and feel guilty not accomplishing something in early hours). i hope the quiet music deal works for me. i think a part of why i can't wake up early is because my body knows it's winter, and my seasonal full-time job is on hiatus once again, so i don't have to get up early-- it'd just be advantageous if i did.

also, in this particular post here, you really seem to be down on status-ness in terms of relationships. i'm paying a lot of attention to this lately because i hate how our culture(s) indirectly say we must be coupled or we're not where we should be in life, especially by certain sets of ages. i just started reading a book called singled out by bella depaulo which i hope helps me to better appreciate my lack of attachment. i am pretty sure it will. plus, there is so much less time to accomplish great things and experience life when you're shacked up. i know not everyone is meant to be alone or at least not alone for too long, so maybe i'm preaching to myself here. but there is value in so much that we don't often notice. i also recommend a gratitude book, if you're interested, to help with cultivating life views for the better. it's by robert emmons-- thanks !: how the new science of gratitude can make you happier. i just finished it a few weeks ago.